Sound recording and reproducing



Aug. 15, 1944. PROCTQR 2,355,751

SOUND RECORDING AND REPRODUCING Original Filed June 29, 1939 10 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEYS Aug. b 1944- B. A. PROCTOR 2,355,751

SOUND RECORDING AND -REPRODUCING Original Filed June 29, 1939 10 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Aug. 15, 1944. B. A. PROCTOR 1 SOUND RECORDING AND REPRODUCING Original Filed June 29, 1939 10 Sheets-Sheet 5 3' N g ,4 INVENTOR 2 M ATTORNEYS Aug. 15, 1944. B. A. PRocToR SOUND RECORDING AND REPRODUCING Original Filed June 29, 1959 10 Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTORNEY Aug. 15, 1944.

B. PROCTOR SOUND RECORDING AND REPRODUCING Original Filed June 29, 1939 10 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR I l/ J L ATTORNEYS Aug. 15, 1944; B. A. PROCTOR 2,555,751

SOUND RECORDING AND REPRODUCING Original Filed June 29, 1939 10 Sheets-Sheet 7 zi tq -r zz ATTORNEYS Aug. 15, 1944. B. A. PROCTOR 2,355,751

SOUND RECORDING AND REPRODUCING Original Filed Ju ne 29, 1939 10 Sheets-Sheet 9 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Aug. 15, 1944. PROCTQR 2,355,751

SOUND RECORDING AND REPRODUCING I Original Filed June 29, 1939 10 Sheets-Sheet 10 I NVENTOR %a ,t. d m

ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 15, 1944 2,355,751 SOUND aecoanme AND anrnon'ucnvo Barton A. Proctor, Larchmont, N. Y., asslgnor to B. A. Proctor Company, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Original application June 29, 1939, Serial No.

281,811. Divided and this application August 1, 1942, Serial No. 453.202

13 Claims.

This invention relates to recording and reproducing machines, and more particularly to machines used in the dictation and transcription of letters, memoranda and other writings. The invention has to do with improvements upon a dictation machine of the kind disclosed and claimed in a copending application Serial No. 218,082, of Barton A. Proctor and Ferdinand C. W. Thiede, filed July 8, 1938, for Sound recording and reproducing, now U. S. Patent No. 2,296,870. The present application is a division of my copending applicationSerial No. 281,811, filed June 29, 1939, for Sound recording and reproducing, now U. S. Patent No. 2,318,627.

In the machine referred to, provision is made for recording sound upon, and reproducing sound from, thin, flexible, disc records. The record is mounted upon a turtle back support and impaled upon a center spindle. Rotation is imparted to the record through a pair of friction wheels, one of which is shiftable into and out of engagement with the record. The'record interiits with the center spindle so that rotation of the record imparts rotation to the spindle. Rotation of the spindle, in turn, is converted into a linear feed of the spindle, such feed being in a direction to carry the center spindle bodily, directly away from the point at which the record is engaged by the feed wheels.

The machine is equipped with a recording unit which includes, a stylus, and with a reproducing unit which also includes a stylus. Control mechanism is provided which may be set in a neutral position, both to interrupt the feed of the record and to hold the recording and reproducing styluses out of engagement with the reccord. Operation of the control mechanism in one direction from neutral shifts the recording stylus over the record engaging point and then lowers it onto the record. Operation of the control mechanism in the opposite direction from neutral position shifts the reproducing stylus over the record engaging point and then lowers it into engagement with the record.

The machine also includes a mechanism for imparting a back spacing movement to the reproducing unit when the reproducing stylus is out of engagement wtih the record. It further includes start and stop mechanism for enabling the record drive to be interrupted and reestablished at the will of the operator without removing the active stylus from the record.

An important object of the present invention is to provide improved and simplified means for that the styluses may be alternatively located in engagement with the record at a common record-engaging point.

To this end it is a salient feature of the invention that a common support is provided upon which the rear ends of both the recording and the reproducing units are pivotally mounted for swinging movement in a common vertical plane. A lifter, engageable with both units, is provided for lifting either unit whose stylus is in recordengaging position away from the record. Provision is further made of means for shifting the common unit support horizontally when both units are raised, and of means for lockingone unit or the other in elevated position according to the horizontal disposition of the units, so that a selected one of the styluses will be lowered against the record when the litter is lowered.

In accordance with a practical and advantageous embodiment of the invention, the control means comprises a cam shaft having a plurality oi cams fast upon it. When one of the styluses, say the recording stylus is active, operation of the control means to the neutral position will mounting the recording and reproducing units so serve first to interrupt the drive of the record, and second to lift the recording unit for separating the stylus of that unit from the record. If, now, it is desired to lower the reproducing stylus onto the record, the control means will be operated from the neutral position to the reproducing position. This serves first, to shift both the recording and reproducing unit horizontally to locate the reproducing stylus in substantially the same vertical line which was previously occupied by the recording stylus. By the same movement the recording unit will have been locked or detained in its raised position, and the reproducer unit will have been unlocked. The next effect oi. operating the control means to the reproducing position will be to lower the lifter and thereby cause the reproducing stylus to be set upon the record. Finally, the movable feed wheel will be restored to engagement with the record unless it is detained agains such operation by the start-stop mechanism hereinafter referred to.

A further important object of the present invention is to provide improved back spacing mechanism for the reproducing unit. Besides being mounted with capacity for rocking movement and for horizontal bodily movement in a vertical plane, the reproducing unit is also mounted with capacity for swinging movement in a horizontal plane to carry the reproducing stylus toward and from the center of the record.

' arm, the slot having a lateral extension atthe- The-back spacing member lower end thereof, which extends away from the center of the record. In normal reproducing operation the record is concurrently rotated and moved bodily so that its center travels away from the point of engagement with the reproducing stylus. As a consequence, the arm of the reproducing unit which is located in the slot of the back spacing member normally retains a, position in line with the vertical portion or the slot.

When the reproducer unit has been back spaced, however, the ensuing rotation of the record for back spacing reproduction does not involve any movement of translation of the center of the record, but on the contrary the carriage of the center spindle is held against bodily movement. As the back spacing reproduction occurs, therefore, the reproducing stylus is carried by the record groove away from the center of the record and the arm of the reproducing unit which is located in the slot of the back spacing member travels horizontally away from the center of the record into the lateral extension of the slot.

'When it is desired to restore normal reproduction or to return to recording, the control mechanism for the recording and reproducing units is operated to neutral position, thereby carrying the reproducing unit upward to lift the reproducing stylus off the record. A cam formation of the slot in the back spacing member causes the arm of the reproducing unit to be guided into the vertical portion of the slot, whereupon the back spacing unit may be restored to its normal position to shift the stylus of the reproducing unit to its normal vertical plane. The control mechanism may thereafter be operated to lower the recording or the reproducing stylus into engagement with the' record for the resumption of normal recording or reproducing.

An important feature of the invention has to do with the means for interrupting the bodily drive of the record during back spacing reproduction. The center spindle acts through spiral gearing whenever it is rotated to turn a feed screw. Translational movement of the center spindle is produced by engagement of the feed screw with a half nut. The half nut is immovable axially of the feed screw, but may be swung at right-angles to the feed screw axis into and out of engagement with the feed screw. The half nut is carried by or formed upon a lever which is adapted to be engaged and swung by a i 1 is in the neutral position and thereafter the opera- 1 .tion of the control mechanism to reproducing positionwill be ineffective to restore the half nut to engagement *with the feed screw for the reason that thesecond -or movabie'nam is formed-witha j dwell portion for detaining the nut lever in the' inactive position.

Should the operator seek to align the movable cam with the nut'lever when the parts are in recording position or normal reproducing position, the lever would obstruct the cam. In accordance with an advantageous feature of the invention. the member provided for shifting the movable cam into lever engaging position is yieldingly connected to the cam so that it may be operated, and locked in operated position, despite the obstruction to the shifting of the cam.

When the operator thereafter shifts the control means into neutral position, however, the nut lever will be shifted to a non-obstructing position, and the cam, because of the bias placed upon it, will be caused to shift into alignment with the nut lever for the purpose already indicated.

It is desirable that the operator have it in his power to interrupt the driving of the record instantaneously, regardless of whether there is to be' any shift between recording and repro- I ducing. The dictator, for example, may want to cam on the cam shaft to carry the half nut out of action whenever the control mechanism is operated to neutral position. Normally the half nut reengages the feed screw as soon as the control mechanism is operated away from neutral position 'to either recording or reproducing position.

In order that this reengagement of the half nut with the feed screw may be prevented when desired, the cam shaft is provided with a second cam for engaging the half nut lever. This second cam is keyed to the cam shaft so that it invariably'rotates in unison with the cam shaft, but is mounted with freedom for movement axially of the cam shaft. I

The second cam may be shifted into lever engaging position when the control mechanism take time to think of what he is going to say next, or the transcriber may want to take time to catch up with the reproduction which has already occurred.

The present illustrative machine includes mechanism for starting and stopping the record drive at will, but no claim to this feature is included in the present application because it has been claimed in Serial No. 281,811.

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the drawings forming part of the specification and illustrating a practical and advantageous embodiment of the invention Figure 1 is a view in sectional side elevation of a dictation machine embodying features of the invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view in sectional side elevation, taken substantially on the line 2--2 of Figure 3;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary, detailed plan view, partly in section, illustrating novel features of the invention;

Figure 4f is a fragmentary, transverse, vertical, sectional view taken upon the line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is avfragmentary, vertical sectional view partly illustrating features of the startstop mechanism;

Figure 6 is a detailed side view in sectional elevation illustrating a start-stop control device;

Figure 7 is a detailed view in horizontal section of the mechanism illustrated in Figure 6, the section being taken upon the line '|-'I of Figure 6 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken upon the line 8-8 of Figure -6 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 9 is a detailed view, largely diagrammatic, of an altematlve form of control device for a start-stop mechanism incorporated in a microphone unit;

Figure 10 is a detailed view in side elevation illustrating some of the parts shown in Figure 2 in neutral position;

Figure 11 is a view similar to Figure ill trating the parts in reproducing position;

Figures 12, 13 and 14 are diagrammatic views illustrating different phases of operation of the start-stop mechanism;

Figure 15 is a fragmentary view in sectional side elevation illustrating the start-stop mechanism withthe parts in the same position as in Figure 2:

Figure 16 is a sectional detailed view illustrating the parts in position for back space reproduction;

Figure 1'7 is a fragmentary detailed view in sectional side elevation illustrating the parts in recording position;

Figure 18 is a fragmentary sectional view taken upon the line i 8-18 of Figure 17 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 19 -is a fragmentary detailed view in side elevation showing the parts in neutral position;

Figure 20 is a view'similar to Figure 19 but showing the parts in the normal reproducing position;

Figure 21 is a fragmentary detailed view in 2 front elevation illustrating particularly the back space setting means and the control means for the recording and reproducing units; and

Figure 22 is a fragmentary, horizontal, sectional view of the parts illustrated in Figure 21.

The illustrative machine is generally like the machine disclosed and claimed in Serial No. 218,- 082 which has been previously referred to.

It comprises a frame structure I which carries a turtle back support 2 upon which a thin, flexible, disc record 3 may be mounted. The record 3 is impaled upon and interfitted with a center spindle 4, which spindle is mounted on a carriage 5. The record 3 is driven rotatively by a fixed feed wheel 6 and a cooperative feed wheel 1. Th feed wheel 1 and its shaft 1b are revolubly supported in a rocker arm or frame 8, Figures 2, 3 and 4, .the arm 8 being rockably mounted upon a shaft 9 and provided with a tail extension in which may be lowered and raised to carry the feed wheel 1 away from anad toward the record.

A motor 6a is connected through a belt 6b to drive a pulley 60, fast on the drive shaft 6d of the feed wheel 6. A hub portion lie of the pulley 5c is adapted to engage and drive a disc 1a fast on the shaft 1b of the feed wheel 1 when th wheel 1 is in record-engaging position.

Rotation of the record is transmitted to the center spindle 4, and thence through spiral gears Ii and Ila, to a feed screw 1 2 which is mounted in the carriage 5 and serves as the driving element for the carriage. The feed screw-i2 is engageable with a half nut I3. The half nut i3 is carried at the forward end of an arm i4 fast on a shaft I5. .Briefiy the carriage comprises a left end member 50 (Figs. 1 and 4) in which the center spindle 4 and the center spindle shaft are mounted, a right end member 5b (Figs. 2 and 4) and a connecting web I21 (Figs. 2 and 4). The end members 5a and 5b encircle a fixed guideway and supporting rod 50, the carriage being slidabl longitudinally of the rod. The left end member 5a is formed at its lower-end with a channeled portion 50! which partially embraces a fixed guide rod 5e (Figs. 1 and 4). The shaft l5 also has fast upon it an upwardly extending arm 16, which may be actuated to cause the half nut i3 to be rocked out of engagement with the feed screw i2 and into engagement with 75.

the feed screw l2. The nut arm 14 is immovable axially of the feed screw 12, and hence when the half nut i3 is engaged with the feed screw, rotation oi the feed screw causes the feed screw and its carriage to move in the direction of the axis of the feed screw and to carry the center spindle away from the point at which the feed wheels engage the record. As a result of the compound motion imparted to the record, a stationary recording stylus is caused to form a spiral groove in the face of the record 3 which pro gresses outward from the center as the sound groove is scribed on the record by the stylus.

As in the case of the machine disclosed in Serial No. 218,082, it is desirable that a recording unit 11 including a recording stylus it to providedfor forming the sound track on the record, and that a separate reproducing unit it, including a reproducing stylus 20. be provided for enabling the scribed sound track to be trans lated into sound.

An important feature of the present invention has to do with the mounting and control of the recording and reproducing units to enable the styluses the same record-engaging point opposite a revoluble platen 2|. 1

A yoke 22, Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4, is rockably mounted upon a transverse horizontal shaft 25 and extends upward to form {arms 24a, 24!; through which a pivot pin 24 eittends. The pin 24 forms a common pivotal support for the rear ends of the recorder unit l1 and the reproducer unit IS. A yoke 25 journaled on the pin 24 carries a vertical pivot pin 25 upon which the recorder unit I1 is mounted with capacity for transverse adjustment. The recorder unit I1 includes a bent arm 21 which extends rightward from the unit and thence forward, Figures 2, 3-

and 4.

An arm 5i, Figures 1, 2 and 3, is journaled upon the pin 24 between the ears of yoke 25 and carries a vertically disposed pivot pin 52 upon which an angle arm 53 is journaled. The angle arm 53 has the reproducer unit I9 fixedly mounted upon its forward or free end. The arm 53 has also aflixed to its forward end an arm or rod 54, which includes a shank portion 55 that extends toward the right, in Figures 3 and 4, from the arm 53, and an end portion 58 that extends toward the front of the machine. The arm portion 56 performs an important function in connection with back space reproduction, as will be subsequently pointed out. For the present the description will be confined to those features having to do with the selective location of the styluses i8 and 20 in record-engaging position.

As seen in Figures 1 and 2, the parts are in recording position with the recording stylus i8 engaging the record 3. The yoke 22 is held forward by a' spring 22a with the arm 24b in en-' gagement' with an adjustably mounted stop 240.

The selector or control mechanism comprises an operating finger piece 51, Figures 1, 2, 21 and 22, fast upon the forward end of a shaft 58. The finger piece may be operated to any one of three positions indicated, respectively, as record," "neutral and reproduce. These legends are provided upon a suitable scale member 60 aflixed to a cover plate fila. ,The shaft 58 has fixed to it a beveled pinion 5| which, through a meshing beveled pinion 62 fast on a cam shaft 63 serves to operate the cam shaft.

The cam shaft 63 has fast upon it four cams 64, 65, 66 and 61. Upon movement of the control l8 and 20 to be alternatively located at knob 51 from the record position to the "neutral" position, the cam 85 comes into -play, and by engagement with the tail member I of the arm 8 serves to carry-the feed roller 1 out of engagement with the record *3, as in Figurelo, so that the driving of the record is'immediately in'terrupted. The cam 66 next engages the tail portion of a lifter lever 68 which is rockingly mounted upon a fulcrum 89. The cam 65 depresses the tail portion of the lever 88 and causes a forwardly extending portion of the lever at the opposite side of the fulcrum to be raised. The forward end of the lifting lever engages the under faces of the arm 21 which is aillxed to the recording unit l1, and thereby lifts the recording stylus l8 off the record, as indicated in Figure 10. Atits upward limit of movement the forward end of the lifter lever also engages the under side of the portion 55 of arm 54. When the forward end of the lifter lever 88 has attained this uppermost position, the parts are in neutral position and the record is stopped. The cam 64 has, in the meantime, been carried into engagement with the arm IE to rock the shaft l and the nut arm l4 in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 5 and as illustrated in Figure 10.

Thus in the neutral 1 has left engagement with the record, both the recording and reproducing units are held up, as in Figure 10, away from the record, and the feed nut H! has been carried out of engagement with the feed screw l2.

If it is next desired to shift the parts to the position for reproducing, the control or selector member 51 is operated to the reproduce position. The cam 61 which has not up to now performed any function comes into engagement with the pivot pin 24.

The cam 61 pushes the pivot pin 24 to the rear, swinging the yoke 22 Figure 11, and causing the reproducing unit l9 to be As a consequence of this movement, the stylus is located over the record in the same vertical line previously occupied by the stylus l8. During this rearward movement, the lifter lever 88 enthe recording unit l1 and position the feed wheel about the pivot pin 23, see

tion 14 of the plate 1|. The cam 84 is carried downwardby the cam shaftto a position" permitof the'half nut |3with the ting reengagement Figure 11; Finally, the cam feed screw l2, as in 85 is carried to a position permitting'the tail member H! of the arm 8, which carries the feed wheel 1, to be actuated by a return spring 15, so that the feed wheel 1 is lowered against the record, and the'normal driving of the record occurs.

It has been mentioned that the recording unit I1 is mounted for horizontal adjustment about the axis of the vertical pivot pin 26. It .is for the purpose of effecting such adjustment that the forwardly extending portion of the arm 21 is provided. This portion of the arm 21 extends through a vertical slot or notch 16:: of an adjustable slide 16 located in a groove 18a. in the frame member 1|a. Adjustment of the slide 18 eflfects adjustment of the recording unit H with its stylus |8 to carry the stylus to the right or left in Figure 3. A headed bolt 11, Figures 3 and 4, has its shank passed freely through a stationary ear 18, the shank being surrounded by a compression spring 19. The bolt is threaded into an ear 88 formed on the slide 16. Rotation of carried rearward.

gages the under-face of the arm 21, and the portion of the arm 54 is disposed in advance of the notch 12 in position to be held up by the portion 13 of the plate 1| in front of the notch. and the arm 21' is over the notch or recess 12, as in Figure 10. When the pivot pin 24 has been shifted to the rear as just described, however, the arm portion 55 is carried over the notch 12, and the arm 21 is carried over the portion 14 of the plate 1|, which lies to the rear of the notch 12. The cam 61 is formed with a dwell so that during the continued shifting of the control member 51 toward reproduce position the pivot pin 24 is held stationary.

Such continued movement, however, is effective to turn the cam 68 out of engagement with the lifter lever 68, as in Figure 11, so that the reproducing unit is lowered to set the stylus 28 into engagement with the record, the recording unit |1 being at the same time held in elevated posi- (ill tion by engagement of the arm 21 with the por- 16 the bolt 11 is effective to adjust the slide 18, the spring 19 serving to urge the ears 18 and away from one another and hence to maintain the head of the bolt 11 in engagement with the ear 18. When the bolt 11 has n adjusted, the slide 18 is locked in adjusted position by means of a binding screw 8| which passes freely through a slot 82 of the slide 16 and which is threaded into the stationary frame member 1|a.

There are times when it is desirable for the user or the machine to be able to go back a short distance and hear the last of the matter recorded on the record before continuing with the dictation or transcription. Provision is accordingly made for displacing the reproducing stylus 28 a measured distance to the left from its normal position, Figures 3 and 4, while the units I1 and N are in a neutral position. The provision for back spacing further includes means for permitting the rotation of the record while preventing translation of the record during the limited reproduction secured by :back spacing, so that the record carriage will be held immovable during the back spacing operation and during back space reproduction. The back spacing must, of course, be performed at a time when the stylus 2|! is out of engagement with the record in order not to produce an objectionable scratching of the record. The back spacing mechanism will first be described, therefore, on the assumption that the control member 51 has been operated to neutral position.

A back spacing knob 84, together with an indicator member 85, is affixed to a shaft 86 journaled in a plate 81, Figures 21 and 22. The plate 81 is secured to a bushing 88 which is mounted on a headed stub shaft 89, the stub shaft being threaded into the stationary frame member He. The plate 81 also surrounds a shaft 8| which is journaled in the frame member 1|a. A spacer sleeve 82 surrounds the shaft 9| and, together with the bushing 88, serves to maintain the plate 81 at a fixed'distance from the frame member Ho. The shaft 8| is formed with a shoulder Bla adjacent the frame member 1|a, the rear end portion of the shaft which is journaled in the frame member 90 being of reduced diameter. A hub 93 of an eccentric 94 is affixed to the shaft 9| to the rear of the collar 83.

' 7 The shaft 88 has fast upon it agear 88 which meshes with a gear 08 revolubly mounted on the stub shaft 88. The gear 88 in turn meshes with a gear 81, the latter gear being fixed to the shaft 8| by means of a headed screw 88. Rotation of the knob 84 is effective to carry the index pointer.

, strained by the rib or key III to turn in unison.

- to rock the arm 21. The slide I02 is set in a depression or guideway I080: a frame member I04, being guided for right-line movement along the guideway. A-

rabbeted hold-down block I is secured to the frame member He 'by screws I08 and maintains the slide in the guideway I08.

The slide I02 is formed with a vertically extending slot I01, Figure 4, in which the forwardly extending portion 58 of the arm 54 is received. The slot I01 extends yertically, but hasa lateral extension I08 at its lower end which extends toward the right. When the control member 51 is in its neutral position, the reproducing unit is elevated and hence the arm portion 58 is in the vertical portion of the slot I01. At this time, operation of the knob 84 toward the leftwill be effective to carry the reproducing unit toward the left, the extent of leftward movement being indicated by the scale on the graduated dial 99.

If, after the reproducing unithas been shifted to the left by operation of the knob 84, the control member 51 is operated to the "reproduce" position, the record would be turned, but it would be at the same time translated as usual. When the reproduction secured by back spacing had been 1 thus effected, it would not be possible to restore the back spacing mechanism and the reproducing stylus to the normal position correspondingto zero on the scale of dial 89 without skipping as many spaces or track turns on the record as were reproduced as a result of the back spacing operation. g

If the record carriage is held stationary, however, during the back space reproduction, the record will be rotated without translation and the arm portion 56 will simply be carried into the lateral extension I08 of the slot I 01 at back space reproduction. Provision is made for holding the record carriage against translation during back space reproduction, as will be presently described. When the back space reproduction has been performed with the carriage thus held stationary, the operator returns the control member 51 to the neutral position, A cam formation I09, Figure 4, just above the lateral extension I08 of the groove I01 causes the arm member 58 to be car.- ried back into the upper, vertical slot portion I01 as an incident of the lifting of the reproducing unit. The back spacing knob 84 may'now be turned clockwise to the zero point on the scale of dial 99, thereby restoring the stylus 20 to its normal neutral position. The recording or re-,

producing may now be resumed normally with the recording and reproducing normal relation to one another. a

The mechanism for causing therecord to be turned without translation at back space reproduction comprises a cam IIO, Figures to 20, which is mounted on the cam shaft 63 and interfitted with a rib or key III on the shaft 63. The cam I I0 is free to move lengthwise of the shaft 63, but the cam and the shaft are constyluses in their The normal position of the cam H0 is that illustrated in Figures 17 and 18, in which position the cam is out of line with the arm Ill. The arm I5, it will be remembered, is fast upon a shaft I5, which shaft also has fast upon it the nut arm I4. As has already been mentioned, a cam 54 fast with the shaft 63 is constantly in line with the arm I6 and is effective when the control member 51 is operated to neutral position I8 rearward and thereby to lift the half nutI3 out of engagement with the feed screw I 2.

operated into transverse alignment with the arm I5 when the control member 51 is in neutral position or can be biased when the control member 51 is in the reproduce position to'spring into transverse alignment with the arm I6 upon the operation of the control member 51 to the neutral position.

The finger piece H2 is operated only when back space reproduction is to be performed. By virtue of the arrangement just referred to,.however, it may be operated either before or after the control member 51 has been operated to neutral position.

'I'hefinger piece H2 is affixed to ears II3 which are journaled upon a shaft II4 carried by a frame bracket II5. A clutch shifting fork II 6 is aflixed to an ear I I1 which is also journaled upon the shaft II4. A headed pin II8 affixed to the lower end portion I I9 of the finger piece II2 extends freely through the clutch shifting fork. A compression spring I surrounds the shank of the headed pin IIB, bearing at one end against the head of the pin H8 and at the other end against the clutch shifting fork II 6.

II5 to move in unison, but permits separation of the arm 8 from the fork II-B when movement of the cam I I0 is obstructed. The bifurcations of the fork II6 are received in a groove I2I of a cam shifting collar I22. The collar I22 is fast with the cam II 0. A detent spring I23, afllxed to a stationary frame bracket I24, coacts with a tooth I25 on the finger piece II2 to prevent restoration of the finger piece to an elevated position when it has been depressed.

Assuming that the machine is in the reproduce position, depression of the finger piece II2 causes the lower end II!) of the finger piece to be swung toward the right, or counterclockwise, as viewed in Figure 18. Since the cam H0 is obstructed by the arm I5, the fork H5 is not free to follow the arm H9, and the arm H9 is separated from the fork II5. thespring I20 being put under stress. The finger piece II 2 is locked in its depressed position by the tooth I25 and the spring I23 to maintain the desired condition of the finger piece. When the control member 51 is now operated to neutral position, the arm I6 is pushed out of obstructing relation to the cam IIO by the cam 64, as in Figure 19, and the spring I20 forces the cam 0 toward the right and with the arm I6.

into transverse alignment era ga'gement of the feed nut I3 with the feed screw I2. 4

Not only will the cam IIO prevent the arm I6 from shifting forward when the reproducing stylus 20 is lowered against the record, but it will actually shift the arm I6 farther to the rear, as in Figure 16. As will be seen in Figure 19, the portion of the cam IIO which lies adjacent the arm I6 in the neutral position is of less radius than the high part of cam 64, but the portion of th cam IIO which engages the lever I6 in the back space reproducing position is of greater radius than the high part of the cam 54.

As a consequence of this arrangement, the cam IIO serves to raise the nut arm I4 higher than it is normally raised by the cam 64, with the result that a brake spring I26 aflixed to the nut arm is pressed firmly against a carriage bar I21, Figure 16, to hold the carriage frictionally against unintended, longitudinal movement.

When the back space reproduction has been performed, the control member 51 is'operated to neutral position as already described, and the back space knob is turned clockwise to restore the indicator 85 to the zero point on the scale of dial 99. The finger piece H2 is then pulled upward to restore the cam IIO to the position illustrated in Figure 18. The parts are now reconditioned for normal recording or reproducing upon operation of the control member 51 to either the record or the reproduce position.

As has been pointed out, there are times when, it is desirable simply to stop the record drive briefly, or for an indefinite period, without interrupting the engagement of the active stylus with the record, and without interrupting the engagement of the feed nut I3 with the feed screw I2. It is desirable that start-stop mechanism be provided under the convenient con-= trol of the operators hand or foot without the loss of time which would be entailed in reaching over to engage the control member 51. Startstop mechanism is desirably embodied in the present invention for producing this desirable mode of operation. The start-stop mechanism herein disclosed is of such character that it lends itself conveniently to remote control of the machine, there being no limitation upon the distance which may separate the machine from the dictator or the transcriber.

The sole. object of the start-stop mechanism is to lift or lower the arm 8 which carries the feed roller I, and this result is secured by providing mechanism for operating upon another tail portion I28 of the arm 0, Figures 3 and 15. A cam I29, having alternate high and low portions equally spaced about its periphery, is fast upon a cam shaft I30. The cam I29, as illustrated, has three high points and three low points. The shaft I30 has fast upon it a six-toothed ratchet wheel I3 I which is operable to advance the shaft step by step so that the tail portion I28 of the arm 8 is raised and lowered at alternate steps. A pair of triangular levers I32 are journaled upon the shaft I30 with freedom to rock relative to the shaft. A pawl I33 for coacting with the ratchet wheel I3I is rockably mounted upon a pin l33a carried by said levers I32. The pawl from the circuit I33 is urged toward the ratchet wheel I28 by gravity, although a spring may beused for this purpose. Links I34 are pivotally connected at their upper ends to the levers I32 and at their lower ends to the core or armature I35 of an electromagnet I36. The links are drawn upward by a spring I36, being limited in their up- .ward movement by engagement of a stop projection I31 formed integral with one of the links,

and a stationary abutment member I36 which is carried by a frame member I39.

Energization or the coil I40 of the electromagnet I36 is eflfective to impart a single step of rotation to the shaft I30 and the cam I29 through the pawl I33 and the ratchet wheel I3I. As soon as the flow of current to the coil I40 is interrupted. the spring I36 returns the link I34 to the upper limit of movement and thereby carries the pawl backward one tooth space relative to the ratchet wheel I20.

Important features and objects of the invention have to do with the means for controlling the delivery of current to the electr magnet.

Suitableline conductors MI and 142 are connected to opposite terminals-of a so rce of electrical energy. The conductor MI is connected with a conductive, resilient switch member I43, Figure 12, which is adapted normally to contact with one terminal of a circuit section or conductor I44. when the switch member I43 is depressed and put under stress, it is disconnected section I44 and connected with a parallel circuit section I45. An actuating pin I46 engages the switch member I43 for operatme said member.

A second resilient switch member I41 is contained in a suitable housing I48 and is disposed to make contact either with a terminal of the circuit section I44 or with a terminal of the parallel circuit sectionl45. Normally, the switch member 1 makes contact with the circuit section I45. When it is pressed upward and put under stress, it makes contact instead with a terminal of the circuit section I44. The switch member I41 is connected through a conductor I49 with a conductor I50, the latter conductor being connected with a coil I40 01 the electromagnet I35. A resistance I480: and a condenser I49b are interposed between the conductors MI and I48 for preventing sparking.

With the two switches I43 and I" in the positions illustrated in Figure 12, no current will flow through the electromagnet I40. Upon depression of the switch member I43 into contact with a terminal of the circuit section I45, current is caused to flow through the coil I40 of the electromagnet I36 and thereby to produce a single step advance of the shaft I30 equal substantially to one-sixth of a revolution.

The shaft I30 has fast upon it a cam I5I which has three high spots and three low spots occurring in alternation, and at equal intervals. A spring member I52, supported on the housing I46, is arranged to extend across the upper side of the cam I5I, and this spring is adapted to engage an actuating pin I53; In the position of Figure 12 a low spotof the cam I 5| is opposite the spring I52, so that the switch member I" is permitted to be in contact with a ter minal of the circuit section I45.

when the shaft I30 is advanced a tooth space of the ratchet wheel I28, however, a high portion of the cam I5I comes under the spring I52, as seen in Figure 13, and this causes the switch member I" to be raised out of engagement with the terminal of circuit section I46 its raised position. The feed wheel I will be maintained inactive by the cam I29 so long as the switch member I43 is maintained depressed.

Upon restoration of the switch member I43 from its position in Figure '13 to its raised or normal position, current will be caused to ilow through the circuit section I44, through the switch member I" and then through the winding I40 of clectromagnet I35, and this again will cause the shaft I30 to be advanced onesixth of a turn to the position in Figure 13, whereupon the switch member I41 will be restored to its lower position as illustrated in dotand-dash lines in Figure 13.

The switch member I43 is mounted in 9. casing I60, Figures 6, 7, 8 and 12, which can be convenientlyheld in the hand, but which might be made of any other suitable configuration, as,

for example, one adapting it to be placed on the fioor for convenient operation when the electromagnetic circuit is to be controlled by the foot. A block I6 I fixed in the casing I serves as a housing and support for the switch member I43. A spring I62 is afllxed to the upper side of the block I6I in position to overlie the actuating pin I46 of cthe switch member I43. A finger piece I63 is provided for engaging and actuating the spring member I62. This finger piece I63 is so mounted that it can be thrust bodily downward to depress the spring I62, or so that it may be rocked to depress the spring I 62. In the former case, the finger piece will be restored to normal position and the spring member I62 will be permitted to rise immediately upon release of the finger piece I63. In the latter case, the finger piece I63 will be detained in actuated position so that the spring member I62 will be held depressed until the finger piece I63 has been rocked back to the position illustrated in Figure 6.

A headed screw I64 extends through the top of the casing I60 and is threaded into the bottom wall of the casing. A sleeve I65 is slidably mounted upon the screw I64 and is normally maintained at its upward limit of movement by a coil spring I66 which surrounds the shank of the screw and bears against the lower end of the sleeve. A headed pivot stud I6! is threaded into one side of the sleeve I65 and forms a bearing support for the finger piece I63. It will be seen that a straight downward thrust of the finger piece I63 will simply be opposed by the spring Thus the operator has it within his power either to stop the machine and maintain it stopped against a bias which tends to restore it tooperating condition, or to stop the machine and lock it against starting up again. The member I63 has been referred to as a finger piece for convenience. It could, of course, be operated by the sole of theshoe in the manner described.

I66, as well as the spring I62 and will have no tendency to lock the finger piece or the sleeve I65 in a depressed position.

When the finger piece I63 is rocked in a clockwise direction from the position illustrated in Figure 6, however, a corner or high point I60 formed at the lower right-hand edge of the finger piece will be carried to or slightly beyond the vertical plane of the axis of pivot stud I61. In

III)

that position there will be no force tending to return the finger piece I63 in a counter-clockwise direction, and hence the spring member I62 will be maintained depressed and the switch member I43 will be maintained in contact with a terminal of the circuit section I45 until the finger piece I63 is engaged and swung counterclockwise by the operator.

It will be evident that the circuit control mechanism described is very simple and convenient from the standpoint of the operator, that it is economical of current consumption, and that it safeguards the electrical parts against burning out or overheating which might result from prolonged maintenance of a closed circuit.

In Figure 9, disclosure is made of a modified form of apparatus for controlling the circuit to the winding I40 of clectromagnet I35. This form is similar to the form already described with the following exceptions: The circuit controlling mechanism is mounted in the frameof a microphone unit "0. A finger piece 5311 is pivoted upon a stationary bearing IBIa mounted in the microphone casing. The lower portion I68a of the finger piece I'63a coacts with a spring I'62a which is the same in mounting and construction as the spring I 62 of Figure 6. The other parts of the control mechanism are the same as already described so that no further detailed description. is deemed necessary. reference numerals have been applied to corresponding parts with the subscript (1 added in each instance.

I have described what I believe to be the best embodiments of my invention. I do not wish,

however, to be confined to the embodiments shown, but what I desire to cover by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a recording and reproducing machine including means for supporting and driving a record, in combination, a recorder unit including a stylus, a reproducer unit including a stylus, a supporting means pivotally supporting the units for swinging movement independently of one another in a common vertical plane, said styluses being located one in advance of the other in said plane, and control means for withdrawing one of the styluses from record-engaging position and replacing it by the other, comprising a single actuating member, a lifter movable upward thereby and engageabie with both units, means under control of the actuating member to cause the supporting means to be shifted forward or back when both units are in raised position,

means to engage one of the units and detain it in raised position when the support is shifted forward, and means to engage the other of the units and detain it in raised position when the support is shifted rearward.

2. In a recording and reproducing machine including means for supporting and driving a record, in combination, a recorder unit including a stylus, a reproducer unit including a stylus, means supporting the units for vertical and horizontal movements ,in a common vertical plane, a lifter movable upward for lifting either stylus off of and away from the record, means for shifting ihe units horizontally to replace one stylus by the other over a common record engaging position, and means for detaining one or the other of the units in raised position when the lifter is lowered, according to the horizontal position of the units.

Corresponding 3. In a recording and reproducing machine including means for supporting and driving a record, in. combination, a recorder unit including a stylus, a reproducer unit including a stylus, means supporting the units for vertical and horizontal movements in a common vertical plane, a lifter movable upward for lifting either unit to carry the stylus thereof ofi of and away from the record, and engageable with both units simultaneously when both units are in raised position, means for sliding the units along the lifter, and means for detaining the units selectively in raised position when the lifter is lowered.

4. In a recording and reproducing machine including means for supporting a record, in combination, a pair of record driving rollers, a recorder unit including a stylus, a reproducer unit including a stylus, means supporting said units with capacity for vertical and horizontal movements, and means acting on the units for alternatively shifting the styluses into and out of a common record-engaging position comprising a control member, and means operated by the control member comprising means for first moving one of the drivin rollers out of engagement with the record, means for then lifting the first or active stylus off the record, means for then shifting the units horizontally, and means for detaining the units selectively in raised position when the lifter is lowered according to the horizontal disposition of the units.

5. In a recording and reproducing machine including means for supporting a record, in combination, a recording unit including a stylus, a reproducing unit including a stylus, means supporting said units for rocking and bodily movements in a common vertical plane, the styluses being located one behind the other in said plane, and control means for placing the units in recording position with the recording stylus in record-engagin position, or for placing the units in reproducing position with the reproducing stylus in record-engaging position, or for placing the units in neutral position with both styluses held up away from the record-engaging position, said control means including a single actuating member, and means responsive to operation of said member in one direction from neutral to shift the recording stylus over the point of record engagement andthen to lower it into engagement with the record and responsive to movement of said member in the other direction from neutral to shift the reproducing stylus over the point of record engagement and then to lower it into engagement with the record, and means for detaining either of the units selectively in raised position when the other is lowered, according to the horizontal disposition of the units.

6. A dictation machine including, incombination, a record, means for driving the record rotatively, a center spindle upon which the record is impaled and which is driven rotatively by the record, a reproducer unit including a stylus engageable with the record, means supporting the reproducer unit with capacity for vertical and ing means and for holding the center spindle against bodily movement during rotation of the record for the reproduction of a portion of the record secured by back spacing.

'7. A dictation machine as set forth in claim 6 in which the back spacing means includes a member formed with a vertical slot having a lateral extension at the lower end thereof which extends horizontal movements, means operated by the center spindle for driving the center spindle bodily at right-angles to the axis of the spindle in a direction away from the reproducer unit, means for lifting the stylus off the record, back spacing means for shifting the stylus toward the center of the record when it is disengaged from the record, and means for disabling the bodily drivaway from the center spindle, said reproducer unit including a member operable in said slot, said member being disposed at the lower end of the vertical portion of the slot during normal reproduction and in the upper vertical portion of the slot when the unit is raised to withdraw the stylus from the record, but free to be driven into the lateral extension of the slot when therecord is driven rotatively without translation.

8. A dictation machine as set forth in claim 6 in which the back spacing means includes a member formed with a vertical slot having a lateral extension at the lower end thereof which extends away from the center spindle, said reproducer unit including a member operable in said slot, said member being disposed at the lower end of the vertical portion of the slot during normal reproduction and in the upper vertical portion of the slot when the unit is raised to withdraw the stylus from the record, but free to be driven into the lateral extension of the slot when the record is driven rotatively without translation, said slot having a cam formation overlying the lateral extension of the slot for causing the member which operates in the slot to be guided into the upper vertical portion of the slot when the reproducer unit is raised after back space reproduction, said slotted member being operable thereafter to restore the stylus over the point on the record which had been reached by it prior to the back spacing operation.

9. In a dictation machine, in combination, means for rotating a record, a carriage including means defining an axis of record rotation means normally responsive to said rotating means to cause the carriage and record to be fed bodily, control means settable to disable said second mentioned means, to enable the record to be driven rotatively without bodily movement, and braking means responsive to said control means to hold the carriage against bodily movement in any selected operative position.

10. In a dictation machine, in combination, a feed wheel for frictionally driving a flexible disc record, a center spindle upon which the record is impaled, a reproducer unit including a stylus for engaging the record, means for supporting said unit with capacity for shifting movement to carry the stylus toward and from the center spindle, spindle feedingmeans normally responsive to rotation of the record for driving the center spindle bodily to shift the center spindle and the center of the record away from the reproducer unit, a control member operable in one direction to lift the feed wheel off the record and then to lift the stylus oif the record, back spacing means operable to shift the reproducer unit to carry the stylus toward the center spindle when the stylus has been removed from the record, and means settable to hold the spindle feeding means disabled when the reproducer unit has been back spaced and lowered to reengage the stylus with the record.

11. In a recording mechanism a transversely movable carriage, a spindle rotatably mounted in the carriage, a motor, a power transmission mechanism connecting the spindle with the motor including a record blank afiixed to said spindle, means operated by the rotation of said spindle to effect transverse movement of the carriage, and control means settable to a condition for rendering and maintaining said last means ineffective to move the carriage in response to spindle rotation, whereby said spindle is caused to rotate only, and means responsive to said control means for holdin the carriage stationary.

12. In a recording and reproducing mechanism a carriage supported for rectilinear movement, a spindlerotatabiy mounted in said carriage, a motor, a power transmission mechanism for connecting the motor to the spindle including a record blankjafiixed to the'spindle and means actuated by said spindle to effect rectilinear movement of said carriage, a recording head and a reproducing head movably supported and including recording and reproducing styluses for alternative positioning at a common record engaging point," means for selectively controlling the positioning of said heads, backspace means for shifting the reproducer stylus to engage the record in back of said point, and means for rendering the carriage translating means inoperative during back-space reproduction.

13. In a recording and reproducing machine the combination comprising a rock arm, means supporting the arm for rocking movement about a horizontal axis, a reproducing head pivotally mounted on said arm for movement relative to said arm about a vertical axis and about a horizontal axis parallel to the rock arm axis, a recording head pivotally mounted for movement relative to said arm about said arm on a horizontal axis parallel to the rock arm axis, means for guiding said heads for bodily movement to and from a common point, and control means to rock said arm for shifting said heads bodily with and relative to said rock arm to position the heads alternatively at such common point.

BARTON A. PROCTOR.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION. Patent No. 2,555,751.- August 15, 191111,.

I BARTON A. PROCTOR. It 1s hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 9, second column, line 13, claim 13, after the word "mounted" insert --on said arnline 11;, same claim, strike out "said arm on"; and that the said Letters..Patent should be read with this correction therein that the we may conform 'to the record of the case in the Patent Office. Signed-and sealed this 17th day of October, A. D. 19141 Leslie Frazer (s -1) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

